Apparatus for filling fluids into vehicle containers

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for filling fluids into vehicle containers such as tanks of tank cars or tank trucks. An elongated pipe assembly has an inner fluid-receiving end and an outer fluid-discharging end for discharging fluid into the vehicle container. This assembly includes a support which supports the assembly for swinging movement at its inner end about a vertical axis. The assembly also includes structure for enabling the assembly to change the distance of the outer end of the assembly from its inner end. A movement-limiting arrangement is operatively connected with the outer end of the pipe assembly for limiting the latter to movement along a substantially straight, horizontal path while the assembly swings about the vertical axis at its inner end, so that in this way the outer end of the pipe assembly is constrained to move in a direction parallel to the travel of a vehicle. The pipe assembly automatically changes the distance of its outer end from its inner end as required to maintain the outer end of the assembly along this path.

United States Patent Wenzel 51 May 23, 1972 s41 APPARATUS FOR FILLING FLUIDS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS INTO VEHICLE CONTAINERS 266,666 4/ 1964 Australia 141/ 387 Inventor: Hennann wenzel Vienna Austria Germany 1 Assigneer Waagner-Bim AG, Vienna. Austria Primary Examinerl-1ouston 5. Bell, Jr. [22] Filed: 24, 1970 AttorneySte1nberg & Blake [211 App]. No.: 13,375 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for filling fluids into vehicle containers such as [30] Foreign Application Priorit D t tanks of tank cars or tank trucks, An elongated pipe assembly has an inner fluid-receiving end and an outer fluid-discharging Feb. 24, 1969 Austr a ..1848 end for discharging fluid into the vehicle comainen This Sept. 17, Austria sembly includes a support upports the for swinging movement at its inner end about a vertical axis. The [52] U.S. Cl ..14l/100, 141/231, 141/387, assembly also includes structure for enabling the assembly to 285/137 R, 285/165 change the distance of the outer end of the assembly from its [51] lnt.Cl. ..B65b l/04,B65b 3/04 inner end. A movement-limiting arrangement is operatively [58] Field of Search 141 100, 231, 232, 233, 385, nnected with the outer end of the pipe assembly for limiting 14l/387, 88, 389, 392, 284, 234; 137/615; the latter to movement along a substantially straight, horizon- 285/137 137 R 165 302 tal path while the assembly swings about the vertical axis at its inner end, so that in this way the outer end of the pipe as- 5 References Cited sembly is constrained to move in a direction parallel to the travel of a vehicle. The pipe assembly automatically changes UNITED STATES PATENTS the distance of its outer end from its inner end as required to maintain the outer end of the assembly along this path. 3,126,913 3/1964 Green et al. ..14l/387 3,486,773 12/1969 Deplante ..285/137 R 16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEB m 2 3 m2 SHEET [1F 5 APPARATUS FOR FILLING FLUIDS INTO VEHICLE CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fluid-filling devices.

In particular, the present invention relates to apparatus used for filling fluids such as petroleum products into vehicle containers. For example the apparatus is adapted to be used at a filling station where railroad tracks are provided for tank cars which can thus travel to the filling station to be filled at the filling station with petroleum products or the like.

At filling stations of this type experience has shown that it is difficult to locate the inlet of the tank of a tank car, for example, at a precisely determined position. As a result it is essential to provide for the outlet of the supply pipe a possibility of movement so as to adapt the location of the outlet of the supply pipe to the particular location where the inlet of the tank is located when the railroad car stops. Of course, when dealing with a train of railroad cars, the variation in the location of the inlet of one car is transmitted to the entire series of cars so that all of the inlets of the series of tank cars'have their positions varying with respect to a given ideal location for the supply of the fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a filling apparatus which will solve the above problem.

In particular, it is object of the invention to provide a filling apparatus which is capable of providing for the outlet of the supply pipe a movement along the path of movement of the inlet of the tank of a tank car, for example, so that there is no difficulty encountered in providing communication between the supply pipe and the interior of the tank which is to be filled with the fluid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of this type which enables different fluids to be conveniently supplied through different pipe assemblies.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a construction where the limiting of the outlet of the pipe assembly to movement along a path parallel to that of the vehicle container is brought about automatically in an effective fully reliable manner utilizing constructions of relatively low cost.

According to the invention the filling apparatus for filling the container which forms part of or is carried by a vehicle includes an elongated pipe assembly having an inner fluidreceiving end and an outer fluid-discharging end. This pipe assembly includes a support means which supports the assembly for swinging movement at its inner end about a vertical axis. The pipe assembly also includes a distance-changing means for changing the distance between the outer end of the assembly and the inner end thereof. A movement-limiting means coacts with the outer end of the pipe assembly for limiting this outer end to movement along a straight horizontal path, and this is the path taken by the inlet of a vehicle container at the filling station. The distance-changing means automatically responds to the maintenance of the outer end of the pipe assembly at this path by changing the distance of the outer end of the assembly from its inner end as required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of one embodiment of a structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention where only one pipe assembly is provided;

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevation of the structure which is shown in plan in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view of another embodiment of a structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic elevation of the structure which is shown in plan FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic top plan of a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic end elevation of the structure shown in plan in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus of the invention is particularly adapted for filling of liquids, such as petroleum products, into tank cars. These tank cars are guided for movement along railroad tracks 12 shown schematically in FIG. 1. Experience has shown that it is difficult to precisely situate the filling opening of the tank of a given car at a predetermined location. The result is that as a series of cars sequentially move up to the filling station the locations of the successive filling openings of the successive tanks keeps changing. For this reason, in accordance with the invention, the discharge ends of pipe assemblies of the invention, which discharge the liquid or gaseous products into the tanks, are moved with the structure of the invention along a straight horizontal path parallel to the tracks 12. The several outlet ends 1 of the pipe assemblies illustrated in FIG. 1 are carried by a common elongated carrier 2 which is displaced parallel to the tracks 12 by a swing mechanism of the invention described below.

With the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the several pipe assemblies, three in the example of FIG. I, have inner ends 4 for receiving fluids from the sources 3. These sources 3 are capable of providing different liquids to the several inlet ends 4 of the several pipe assemblies which terminate in the outlet ends 1. These outlet ends I extend vertically so as to be capable of communication with the inlets of the tanks. Each pipe assembly includes a distance-changing means for changing the distance of the outer end 1 of the assembly from the inner end 4 thereof, and for this purpose each assembly in the example of FIG. 1 includes a pair of telescoped pipe portions 5 longitudinally slidable with respect to each other so that they can respond automatically to change the distance between the ends 1 and 4 of each pipe assembly as required to maintain the end 1 along a path of movement parallel to the tracks 12 while the entire assembly swings at its inner end 4 about a vertical axis.

Referring to FIG. 3 where only one pipe assembly is shown for the particular embodiment illustrated therein, it will be seen that the inlet end 4 of each pipe assembly has a pair of elbows which are fluid-tightly swiveled to each otherwith the upper elbow remaining stationary while the lower elbow can swing about the vertical axis shown in FIG. 3 as being common with the swivel axis of a swivel-bearing means 11 referred to below. In this way this elbow assembly forms a support means supporting the pipe assembly for swinging movement about a vertical axis at its inner end 4.

Thus, the several pipe assemblies shown in FIG. 1 have at their inner ends the construction apparent from FIG. 3 for the single pipe assembly illustrated therein. In the example of FIG. 1 the swing mechanism includes a pair of rotary drive cranks 10 respectively turnable about parallel vertical crank axes and driven in rotation about these axes from any suitable power source. The outer ends of the cranks 10 are pivotally connected to inner ends of elongated connecting rods 9 the outer ends of which are pivoted to the elongated carrier 2 which thus forms an elongated coupling member pivoted with the connecting rods 9 to form with the latter in parallelogram linkage as illustrated in FIG. 1. It is preferred to provide for each connecting rod 9 a length which is 4.5 times the length of the crank arm 10 so that these components have with respect to each other lengths at a ratio of approximately 4.5: 1.

Each connecting rod 9 is supported by a swivel bearing means 11 one of which is shown in FIG. 3 and referred to above. This swivel bearing means includes an elongated tubular or channel-shaped support receiving the connecting rod 9 and having freely rotatable rollers on which the rod 9 is guided so that each rod 9 is supported for free longitudinal movement with respect to the swivel bearing means 1 1. At the same time the lower end of the swivel bearing means 11 has a vertically extending pin received in a vertical bore of a bearing, as shown in FIG. 3, so that in this way at each bearing 11 each connecting rod 9 is supported for swivelling movement about a vertical axis while at the same time each rod 9 is freely movable axially with respect to the swivel bearing means 11. Thus, each swivel bearing means 11 may have two pairs of rollers engaging each connecting rod 9 to support the latter for free axial movement.

Thus, with this arrangement the inner end of each connecting rod 9 will describe a circle while with a ratio between the lengths of components 9 and as referred to above the outer end of each connecting rod 9 will describe a substantially straight-line horizontal path at least at that part of the path of movement of the outer end of each connecting rod which is of use in connection with the filling of the tank.

Where only one filling pipe assembly is used, the arrangement of FIGS. 2 and 3 will suffice. Thus with this arrangement the single connecting rod 9 is situated directly beneath and extends parallel to the pipe assembly and only a single rotary crank 10 is pivotally connected at its outer end to the inner end of the connecting rod 9. However, where a plurality of pipe filling assemblies are used, as shown in FIG. 1, then they are all carried at their outer discharge ends by a common elongated carrier 2 which is pivoted to the outer ends of the connecting rods 9, as pointed out above. Thus in each case each connecting rod 9 is driven by its own rotary crank 10, and where a pair of cranks are provided as shown in FIG. 1 they are driven from a common drive assembly in the same rotary directions and at the same speeds.

The outer discharge end 1 of each filling pipe assembly takes the form of vertically telescoped pipe sections vertically slidable with respect to each other so that the discharge end of each pipe assembly can be extended into and retracted upwardly from the inlet of a tank. The manner in which the pipe assemblies are swiveled at their inner ends 4 by the elbow assemblies has been described above. The outer ends 1 of the several pipe assemblies are respectively supported for rotary movement by suitable ball bearing assemblies 6 carried by the carrier 2. Of course in the case of FIGS. 2 and 3 the carrier 2 is directly connected with the outer end of the connecting rod 9 and directly carries the bearing 6 providing the capability of swiveling of the outer end 1 of the pipe assembly with respect to the carrier 2. The several bearings 6 for the several pipe assemblies of FIG. 1 are shown in FIG. 1 distributed along the carrier 2, and these bearing assemblies 6 also enable the outer discharge ends 1 of the several pipe assemblies to swivel with respect to the carrier 2 as the latter moves horizontally.

In the case where there are a plurality of pipe assemblies, as shown in FIG. 1, the carrier 2 forms an elongated coupling extending between the outer ends of the connecting rods 9, as pointed out above. Thus it will be seen that the carrier 2 forms the elongated coupling member 8 as illustrated in FIG. 1. This construction also includes an inner elongated coupling member 7 which extends parallel to the member 8 and which is pivotally connected at its outer ends to the very same pivots which serve to pivotally connect the inner ends of the connecting rods 9 to the crank arms 10. Thus at the outer end of each crank arm 10 there is a pivotal connection not only with the connecting rod 9 but also with an end of the elongated coupling member 7. This inner coupling member 7 advantageously functions in addition as a counterweight for the outer coupling member 8 and for the pipe structure supported thereby. Thus, during operation the connecting rods 9 can move axially within the bearings 11 which are themselves capable of swiveling about vertical axes as pointed out above in connection with FIG. 3 so that the connecting rods 9 swing about the vertical axes determined by the pair of swivel-bearing means 11.

It is to be noted that where a plurality of pipe assemblies are provided, the inner ends thereof swivel about vertical axes which are distributed along a straight line parallel to the tracks 12, and also the pair of swivel axes provided by the pair of swivel-bearing means 11 are distributed along a straight line parallel to the tracks 12. Moreover, it has been found desirable to provide a ratio between the length of each crank arm 10 and the distance between its crank axis and the swivel axis of the bearing 11 which is approximately l:l.3. In this way it is possible to provide for the outer end 1 of each pipe assembly a movement which deviates only to a very small extent from a path parallel to the tracks 12.

Although the distance-changing means is indicated above as taking the form of a pair of telescoped pipe components 5, it is possible to achieve the same result with other types of structures. For example instead of a pair of telescoped pipe components it is possible to provide each pipe assembly at its outer end with a second pair of elbow sections fluid-tightly swiveled to each other in the manner provided at the inner end of each pipe assembly, as shown in FIG. 3 and described above. Thus, with such a construction also the outer end of each pipe assembly will automatically have its distance changed with respect to its inner end as required to maintain the outer end along a straight line parallel to the tracks 12 during swinging of each pipe assembly. However the disadvantage of this latter type of construction is that it requires the structure to occupy a considerable height. The telescoped construction shown in the drawings is far more compact.

Referring to FIG. 4, the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in plan therein includes at the illustrated filling station for petroleum products a pair of pipe assemblies having outer discharge ends 21 and inner fluid-receiving ends 24 with these assemblies also having the telescoped portions 25 providing the distance-changing means of this embodiment. The outlets 21 of this embodiment are carried by a common carrier 22 which has'the ball bearings 26 or the like which enable the outer discharge ends 21 to swivel with respect to the common elongated carrier 22. This elongated carrier 22 forms an elongated coupling member of a parallelogram linkage. This parallelogram linkage includes a pair of elongated arm means 29 pivoted at their outer ends to the common coupling 28. The pair of arm means 29 are swingably connected at their inner ends to vertical stationary pivots at the station 23 where different fluids are supplied to the pair of pipe assemblies. A pair of guides 34 are provided to guide the pair of arms 29 for swinging movement along circular paths, and these paths are designated by dot-dash lines for the guides 34 in FIG. 4. As is apparent from FIGS. 5 and 7, this guide structure 34 simply includes rollers supported for free rotary movement at the lower side of the arms 29 and a support on which the rollers can roll, thus providing for each arm means 29 swinging movement along a circular path about its rear vertical axis which is parallel to the vertical swivel axis at inner end 24 of each of the pipe assemblies of this embodiment.

The outer tips 33 of the pair of arm means 29 form parts of arm portions which are longitudinally movable with respect to inner arm portions. Thus the outer arm portions which terminate in the tips 33 may be telescopically received in tubular arm portions of the pair of arm means 29, as illustrated in the drawings. With this embodiment, the movement-limiting means which changes the distance between the outer ends 21 of the pipe assemblies with respect to the inner ends thereof, as required to maintain the outer ends of the pipe assembly moving along a straight horizontal path such as the path 35 indicated in FIG. 4 includes the pair of hydraulic means 37 connected to the pair of arm portions of each arm means 29. Thus, each hydraulic means 37 includes a hydraulic cylinder provided with hydraulic fluid under pressure from any suitable source and pivoted at one end to the outer arm portion which terminates in the tip 33. Each hydraulic means 37 has a piston slidable in the cylinder .and provided with a piston rod the outer end of which is pivoted to the inner arm portion of each arm means 29. The hydraulic fluid under pressure is delivered to and removed from the cylinders of the hydraulic means 37 in such way that the outer tips 33 of the pair of swingable arm means 29 are maintained in movement along the straight horizontal path 35 with the coupling member 28 not only moving along the path 35 but also sweeping along a flat surface, for example. Thus, with this embodiment the movementlimiting means for limiting the movement of the outer ends of the pair of pipe assemblies to a straight horizontal path takes the form of the pair of hydraulic assemblies 37 and their connection to the outer discharge ends 21 through the common carrier 22 and the outer tips 33 of the pair of arm means 29.

In order to swing the pair of arm means 29, and all of the structure connected thereto, back and forth between the solid and dot-dash line positions indicated in FIG. 4, a second hydraulic assembly 36 is situated to one side of and operatively connected with one of the arm means 29. This second hydraulic means 36 includes a double-acting hydraulic pistoncylinder assembly pivotally supported on a suitable stationary supporting structure such as the framework shown in FIG. 4 and having the outer end of its piston rod pivoted by a suitable bracket to one of the arms 29.

With this embodiment the fluid which is to be filled into the tanks is delivered from a stationary supply container and flows through the inlet 24 of each pipe assembly along the telescope pipe sections 25 thereof which forms the distance-changing means enabling the distance between the outer ends 21 and the inner ends 24 to be changed. The fluid will therefore reach the outer discharge end 21 of each pipe assembly and will then flow into the tank or other container which is to be filled.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of FIG. 4 in elevation. Thus, the reference characters of FIG. 4 also apply in FIG. 5. With this arrangement it will be seen that the supply of hydraulic fluid to and from the pair of hydraulic means 37 is controlled by a feeler means 38. Thus, the feeler means 38 includes a feeler member guided along a horizontal channel having its interior directed downwardly. The feeler finger extends up into the interior of this channel. As long as the finger does not engage one or the other of the side walls of the channel no impulse will be provided for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to or from the hydraulic means 37. However, if the feeler finger engages one or the other of the side walls a signal is transmitted automatically to supply fluid to or from the pair of hydraulic means 37, the arrangement being such that if the finger engages an outer wall the tips 33 are pulled inwardly while if the feeler engages an inner wall of the channel the tips 33 are moved outwardly. In this way this particular embodiment is provided with a movement-limiting means which automatically limits the movement of the outer discharge end 21 of the pair of pipe assemblies of this embodiment to a horizontal straight line path 35. i

It is to be noted that the structure of the invention can be used for purposes other than filling of tank cars. Thus it is perfectly possible to use the structure of the invention for any type of movable container which is carried by or forms part of any vehicle. For example, the tank may be part of a tank truck with the tank either forming part of a trailer or part of the chassis of the truck itself. With such tank trucks it is also possible to drive the truck up to the filling station of the invention and to fill the tank thereof with the structure of the invention without any difficulty.

FIG. 6 illustrates a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 according to which the pair of arm means 29 themselves form the pair of pipe assemblies. Thus, with this embodiment instead of a pair of special arm means 29, the pipe assemblies themselves are provided with the controls 37 and actuated by the hydraulic means 36 with the pair of hydraulic means 37 being actuated from the feeler means 38 as described above and shown in FIG. 5. Thus, with this embodiment the pipe assemblies have the telescoped portions 25 forming the outer and inner arms of the arm means so that the outer tips 33 are in fact the same as the outlets 21. In this way it becomes possible to combine into one assembly not only the supporting and moving function but also the fluid-supplying function. Thus, it becomes possible to reduce the space occupied by the filling station so that with different filling stations having the same space requirements it is possible to situate a larger number of filling pipe assemblies at a given filling station with the arrangement of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows an end elevation of this arrangement of FIG. 6 in a schematic manner. Thus, in FIG. 7 the outer discharge end 21 of each pipe assembly is shown as forming the vertically extending filling pipe which can be extended into and retracted upwardly from the tank of a tank car. The tank is schematically shown in FIG. 7. The remainder of the car is situated between the tank and the tracks 32 on which the car rides. Of course these tracks 32 extend beside the filling station along the path 35 designated in FIG. 6. In almost all cases the tracks will be straight at least in the region of the filling station.

Thus, with this filling station the positioning of the outer filling end 21 of each filling pipe assembly is brought about by swinging of the outer discharge end 21 about a vertical axis and by radially moving the outer discharge end 21 with respect to this axis. The vertical forces exerted by the movable components of the filling station are absorbed by rolls rolling on suitable rails or the like, as described above in connection with the guide structure 34. As a result the more complex linkage connections such as those at the inner swivel joints 24 of the pipe assembly or the telescopedpipe portions 25 are not required to withstand the forces required for supporting the entire assembly. Through these measures it becomes possible to provide the apparatus of the invention with a long operating life. It is preferred to provide for the telescoped pipe sections 25 as well as for the discharge filling pipe sections-21 which are retractable and extendable precisely the same diameters at the regions where seals must be located between the relatively slidable pipe sections, so that throughout the entire structure sealing elements of the same diameter can be used. Therefore, only one type of sealing element need be used for the entire assembly. This measure also contributes to the economy of the assembly.

The fluid-filling apparatus of the invention is not necessarily limited only to filling stations for petroleum derivatives. It can be used in general for the filling of any liquids or gases or mixtures of liquids or gases. Thus, the apparatus of the invention may be used for filling oil, or other industrial products into vehicle containers of any type. Further the apparatus of the invention can be used for decanting loose materials as, e.g., grain or other pulverized materials which do not frit together.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for filling fluid into a container carried by or forming part of a vehicle, a filling pipe assembly having an inner fluid-receiving end and an outer fluid-discharging end for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said filling pipe assembly including a support means supporting said assembly for swinging movement at said inner end thereof about a substantially vertical axis and a distance-changing means for changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof, and movement-limiting means coacting with said outer end of said assembly for limiting said outer end only to movement along a straight horizontal path at least while said outer end of said assembly is in a position for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said distance-changing means changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof as required to limit the movement of said outer end of said assembly along said path.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein an elongated extensible arm means extends parallel to said assembly and also has outer and inner ends, said inner end of said arm means being supported for swinging movement about an axis parallel to the axis about which said inner end of said pipe assembly swings, an elongated coupling coupling the outer ends of said arm means and pipe assembly to each other and forming a parallelogram linkage with said arm means and pipe assembly, and said outer end of said pipe assembly being carried by said coupling.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein a guide means supports and guides said arm means for swinging movement along a circular path.

4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said arm means itself forms a pipe assembly for receiving fluid at its inner end and discharging fluid at its outer end.

5. The combination of claim 2 and wherein a hydraulic means is located to one side of and is operatively connected with said parallelogram linkage for actuating the latter.

6. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said arm means includes a pair of elongated arm portions including an outer arm portion longitudinally slidable with respect to an inner arm portion, and hydraulic means operatively connected with both arm portions for determining the distance between the outer end of said outer arm portion and the inner arm portion.

7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein a feeler means senses when said outer end of said pipe assembly tends to deviate from said path and actuates said hydraulic means for moving said outer arm portion with respect to said inner arm portion to act through said coupling for maintaining said outer end of said pipe assembly along said path, so that said feeler means together with said hydraulic means form a part of the movement-limiting means for said outer end of said pipe assembly.

8. In an apparatus for filling fluid into a container carried by or forming part of a vehicle, a filling pipe assembly having an inner fluid-receiving end and an outer fluid-discharging end for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said filling pipe assembly including a support means supporting said assembly for swinging movement at said inner end thereof about a substantially vertical axis and a distance-changing means for changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof, and movement-limiting means coacting with said outer end of said assembly for limiting said outer end substantially to movement along a straight horizontal path at least while said outer end of said assembly is in a position for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said distance-changing means changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof as required to limit the movement of said outer end of said assembly along said path, said movement-limiting means including a rotary crank, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to said crank, and a pipe-carrier pivoted to the other end of said connecting rod and carrying said outer end of said pipe assembly.

9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein there are a pair of said cranks and connecting rods with said carrier extending between said other ends of said connecting rods and forming therewith a parallelogram linkage, said carrier being limited together with said outer end of said pipe assembly substantially to movement along said path.

10. The combination of claim 9 and wherein said carrier forms an outer coupling member coupling said connecting rods to each other at their other ends distant from said cranks, and an inner coupling member coupling said connecting rods to each other at their ends which are connected to said cranks.

11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein said inner coupling member forms a counterweight for said outer end of said filling pipe assembly and is pivotally connected to said cranks at the same pivotal connections as said connecting rods.

12. The combination of claim 10 and wherein there are a plurality of said pipe assemblies, and the latter having their outer ends all carried by said carrier, said outer ends of said plurality of assemblies forming a plurality of substantially vertically extending, parallel fluid-discharge parts of said assemblies.

13. The combination of claim 8 and wherein a swivel-bearing means supports said connecting rod for longitudinal movement with respect to a predetermined swivel axis while simultaneously supporting said connecting rod for movement about the latter swivel axis, said swivel axis extending parallel to the axis about which said inner end of said assembly swings.

14. The combination of claim 12 and wherein said path extends parallel to the travel of a vehicle container, the, plurality of axes about which said inner ends of said plurality of pipe assemblies respectively swing all being arranged along a horizontal line parallel to aid path and a pair of swivel-bearing means respectively supporting the pair of connecting rods for freelOnFitudinaI movement and for swinging movement about a pair 0 swivel axes wh1ch are parallel to the axes about WhlCll said inner ends of said pipe assemblies swing and which also are situated along a horizontal straight line parallel to said path.

15. The combination of claim 8 and wherein the ratio of the length of said connecting rod to the length of said crank is approximately 4.5:l and a swivel bearing means supporting said connecting rod for longitudinal movement and for swiveling movement about a vertical swivel axis, said rotary crank having a crank axis parallel to said swivel axis, and said crank having a length which respect to the distance between the latter to axes is approximately 1: 1.3.

16. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said support means of said pipe assembly includes a swivel-pipe connection at said inner end of said assembly and said distance-changing means including elongated parts of said assembly which are longitudinally telescoped one within the other. 

1. In an apparatus for filling fluid into a container carried by or forming part of a vehicle, a filling pipe assembly having an inner fluid-receiving end and an outer fluid-discharging end for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said filling pipe assembly including a support means supporting said assembly for swinging movement at said inner end thereof about a substantially vertical axis and a distance-changing means for changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof, and movement-limiting means coacting with said outer end of said assembly for limiting said outer end only to movement along a straight horizontal path at least while said outer end of said assembly is in a position for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said distance-changing means changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof as required to limit the movement of said outer end of said assembly along said path.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein an elongated extensible arm means extends parallel to said assembly and also has outer and inner ends, said inner end of said arm means being supported for swinging movement about an axis parallel to the axis about which said inner end of said pipe assembly swings, an elongated coupling coupling the outer ends of said arm means and pipe assembly to each other and forming a parallelogram linkage with said arm means and pipe assembly, and said outer end of said pipe assembly being carried by said coupling.
 3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein a guide means supports and guides said arm means for swinging movement along a circular path.
 4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said arm means itself forms a pipe assembly for receiving fluid at its inner end and discharging fluid at its outer end.
 5. The combination of claim 2 and wherein a hydraulic means is located to one side of and is operatively connected with said parallelogram linkage for actuating the latter.
 6. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said arm means includes a pair of elongated arm portions including an outer arm portion longitudinally slidable with respect to an inner arm portion, and hydraulic means operatively connected with both arm portions for determining the distance between the outer end of said outer arm portion and the inner arm portion.
 7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein a feeler means senses when said outer end of said pipe assembly tends to deviate from said path and actuates said hydraulic means for moving said outer arm portion with respect to said inner arm portion to act through saiD coupling for maintaining said outer end of said pipe assembly along said path, so that said feeler means together with said hydraulic means form a part of the movement-limiting means for said outer end of said pipe assembly.
 8. In an apparatus for filling fluid into a container carried by or forming part of a vehicle, a filling pipe assembly having an inner fluid-receiving end and an outer fluid-discharging end for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said filling pipe assembly including a support means supporting said assembly for swinging movement at said inner end thereof about a substantially vertical axis and a distance-changing means for changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof, and movement-limiting means coacting with said outer end of said assembly for limiting said outer end substantially to movement along a straight horizontal path at least while said outer end of said assembly is in a position for discharging fluid into a vehicle container, said distance-changing means changing the distance of said outer end of said assembly from said inner end thereof as required to limit the movement of said outer end of said assembly along said path, said movement-limiting means including a rotary crank, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to said crank, and a pipe-carrier pivoted to the other end of said connecting rod and carrying said outer end of said pipe assembly.
 9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein there are a pair of said cranks and connecting rods with said carrier extending between said other ends of said connecting rods and forming therewith a parallelogram linkage, said carrier being limited together with said outer end of said pipe assembly substantially to movement along said path.
 10. The combination of claim 9 and wherein said carrier forms an outer coupling member coupling said connecting rods to each other at their other ends distant from said cranks, and an inner coupling member coupling said connecting rods to each other at their ends which are connected to said cranks.
 11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein said inner coupling member forms a counterweight for said outer end of said filling pipe assembly and is pivotally connected to said cranks at the same pivotal connections as said connecting rods.
 12. The combination of claim 10 and wherein there are a plurality of said pipe assemblies, and the latter having their outer ends all carried by said carrier, said outer ends of said plurality of assemblies forming a plurality of substantially vertically extending, parallel fluid-discharge parts of said assemblies.
 13. The combination of claim 8 and wherein a swivel-bearing means supports said connecting rod for longitudinal movement with respect to a predetermined swivel axis while simultaneously supporting said connecting rod for movement about the latter swivel axis, said swivel axis extending parallel to the axis about which said inner end of said assembly swings.
 14. The combination of claim 12 and wherein said path extends parallel to the travel of a vehicle container, the plurality of axes about which said inner ends of said plurality of pipe assemblies respectively swing all being arranged along a horizontal line parallel to aid path and a pair of swivel-bearing means respectively supporting the pair of connecting rods for free longitudinal movement and for swinging movement about a pair of swivel axes which are parallel to the axes about which said inner ends of said pipe assemblies swing and which also are situated along a horizontal straight line parallel to said path.
 15. The combination of claim 8 and wherein the ratio of the length of said connecting rod to the length of said crank is approximately 4.5:1 and a swivel bearing means supporting said connecting rod for longitudinal movement and for swiveling movement about a vertical swivel axis, said rotary crank having a crank axis parallel to said swivel axis, and said crank having a length which rEspect to the distance between the latter to axes is approximately 1:1.3.
 16. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said support means of said pipe assembly includes a swivel-pipe connection at said inner end of said assembly and said distance-changing means including elongated parts of said assembly which are longitudinally telescoped one within the other. 